The Fruit of Austerity
“O blessed penance, which has secured for me so glorious a reward.” – St. Peter of Alcantara
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Mr. Popularity
“there is nothing which a prudent man must shun more carefully than living with a view to popularity.” St. Basil
Ouch
This is crucial: as long as we pray only when and how we want to, our life of prayer is bound to be unreal. It will run in fits and starts. The slightest upset–even a toothache–will be enough to destroy the whole edifice of our prayer-life. Letters From The Desert Carlo Carretto
Pray
The Lord always answers true prayer, that is, prayer that wishes to do His will for love of Him, not from selfishness.
Ask, Seek, Knock
Jesus said: “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9) So don’t hesitate to come to The Father today. Seek Him out, pester Him, nag Him every hour of the day. Tell Him your worries and fears, your
Thy will be done
Laurentius Surius (1522–1578), a Carthusian monk and writer of the lives of saints wrote about how “a certain blind man obtained the restoration of his sight by praying to St. Bedasto, bishop. Thinking the matter over, he prayed again to his heavenly patron, but this time with the purpose that if the possession of his
Gratitude
Is there anything better for us to have in our heart, or utter with our lips, or record with our pen, than “Thanks be unto God?. No other phrase is more easily spoken, and nothing more pleasant in sound, profound in significance, and profitable in practice. – from St. Augustine
Contrition
“Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions…” (CCC #1431)
No pain, no gain
“If the angels were capable of envy, they would envy us for two things: one is the receiving of Holy Communion, and the other is suffering… You will save more souls through prayer and suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone.” – St. Faustian